Controllable Electronic Switch

• US 20080186126A1
• Filed: 08/31/2007
• Published: 08/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: I/O Controls Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yingco Electronic Incorporated
• Inventors: YING, Jeffrey
• Granted Patent: US 7,688,175 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 337/333
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 37/52 actuated due to deflection of bimetallic element
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 61/02 wherein the thermally-sensitive member is heated indirectly, e.g. resistively, inductively
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/32 Insulating body insertable between contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00022 using wireless data transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00036 the elements or equipment being or involving switches, relays or circuit breakers circuits for indication of single switches H01H9/167
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0068 Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply H02J7/0013 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/345 using capacitors as storage or buffering devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/126 using wireless data transmission

Abstract

A controllable electronic switch for, e.g., controlling power distribution comprises a deformable member such as a bimetal arm that can be deformed to break an electrical path. The deformable member may be anchored at one end and in controllable contact with an electrical conductor at the other end. A heating element, such as a coil, can be used to selectively heat the deformable member. The controllable electronic switch can alternatively comprise a deformable member that is terminated in a wedge-shaped member. When the deformable member bends in response to being heated, the wedge-shaped member forces apart a pair of contacts thus breaking an electrical path. The wedge-shaped member and/or associated structures may be configured as a cam mechanism with multiple latching positions.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. A controllable electronic switch, comprising:

a pair of electrical contacts, one of said electrical contacts connected to an incoming power wire and the other connected to an electrical conductor;

a deformable member;

a wedge attached to one end of said deformable member;

a heating element proximate to the deformable member; and

a switch control signal controlling said heating element, whereby the heating of said heating element bends said deformable member and thereby causes said wedge to force open said pair of electronic contacts and breaks contact between the incoming power wire and the electrical conductor, and the cooling of said heating element returns said deformable member to its initial state and thereby retracts said wedge allowing said pair of electronic contacts to re-connect the incoming power wire and the electrical conductor.

3. The controllable electronic switch of claim 2, wherein said deformable member comprises a bimetal arm.

4. The controllable electronic switch of claim 2, wherein said wedge comprises a cam having multiple latching states.

5. The controllable electronic switch of claim 4, wherein said wedge comprises a front wedge section, a central socket, and a rear wedge section, and wherein the controllable electronic switch further comprises a locking member adapted to be received by the central socket and thereby place the wedge in a latching position.

6. The controllable electronic switch of claim 4, wherein the heating of said heating element switches the wedge among the multiple latching states.

7. The controllable electronic switch of claim 2, wherein said wedge is attached to a pivoting arm, said pivoting arm being caused to rotate about a pivot point when said deformable member bends.

8. The controllable electronic switch of claim 2, wherein power is conveyed from the incoming power wire to a load via the electrical conductor when said pair of electrical contacts are in contact with one another, and wherein no power is conveyed to the load when said pair of electrical contacts are separated from one another by the wedge.

9. The controllable electronic switch of claim 2, wherein said heating element comprises a resistive coil.

10. The controllable electronic switch of claim 2, wherein said switch control signal is generated via manual activation.

11. The controllable electronic switch of claim 2, wherein said switch control signal is generated via an electronic command signal received from a remote source.

12. The controllable electronic switch of claim 2, wherein said deformable member comprises a bimetal arm having a top side comprised of a first metallic substance and a bottom side comprised of a second metallic substance, and wherein said second metallic substance has different thermal properties than the first metallic substance.

13. A controllable electronic switch, comprising:

a pair of electrical contacts, one of said electrical contacts connected to an incoming power wire and the other connected to an electrical conductor;

a deformable member;

a wedge-shaped member proximate to said pair of electrical contacts;

a heating element proximate to the deformable member; and

a switch control signal controlling said heating element, whereby the heating of said heating element bends said deformable member and thereby cause said wedge-shaped member to force open said pair of electronic contacts and breaks contact between the incoming power wire and the electrical conductor, and the cooling of said heating element returns said deformable member to its initial state and thereby retracts said wedge allowing said pair of electronic contacts to re-connect the incoming power wire and the electrical conductor;

wherein power is conveyed from the incoming power wire to a load through the electrical conductor when said pair of electrical contacts are closed, and wherein no power is conveyed to the load via the electrical conductor when said pair of electrical contacts are open.

14. A method, comprising the steps of:

connecting a first one of a pair of electrical contacts to an incoming power wire and the second one of said pair of electrical contacts to an electrical conductor;

thermally coupling a heating element to a deformable member;

positioning a wedge-shaped member proximate to said pair of electrical contacts, said wedge-shaped member attached to one end of said deformable member; and

controlling said heating element with a switch control signal, whereby said heating element controllably bends said deformable member thereby causing said wedge-shaped member to open or close said pair of electronic contacts, thus breaking or making contact between the incoming power wire and the electrical conductor.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said wedge-shaped member comprises a cam having multiple latching states.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said wedge-shaped member comprises a front wedge section, a central socket, and a rear wedge section, and wherein the method further comprises the step of placing the wedge-shaped member in a latching position by receiving a locking member in the central socket.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of heating said heating element to switch the wedge-shaped member among the multiple latching states.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising the steps of:

attaching said wedge-shaped member to a pivoting arm, and

rotating said pivoting arm about a pivot point when said deformable member bends.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising the steps of conveying power from the incoming power wire to a load through the electrical conductor when said pair of electrical contacts are in contact with one another, and preventing power from being conveyed to the load when said pair of electrical contacts are separated from one another.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein said heating element comprises a resistive coil.

21. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of manually activating said switch control signal.

22. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of activating said switch control signal by an electronic command signal received from a remote source.

23. The method of claim 14, wherein said deformable member comprises a bimetal arm having a top side comprised of a first metallic substance and a bottom side comprised of a second metallic substance, and wherein the second metallic substance has different thermal properties than the first metallic substance.

24. A method, comprising the steps of:

positioning in close proximity first and second elongate heat-deformable members, each of said first and second elongate heat-deformable members respectively having disposed thereon one of a pair of electrical contacts which rest in contact with each other when in a quiescent state;

connecting a first one of said pair of electrical contacts to an incoming power wire and the second one of said pair of electrical contacts to an electrical conductor;

placing a heating element proximate the second elongate heat-deformable member;

positioning a resting member between said first and second elongate heat-deformable members; and

controlling said heating element with a switch control signal, whereby said heating element controllably bends the second heat-deformable member while said resting member inhibits the first elongate heat-deformable member from following the bending of the second elongate heat-deformable member, thereby causing the pair of electrical contacts to open.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising the steps of

connecting an incoming power wire to the base of the first elongate heat-deformable member;

and

connecting an output power wire proximate to the electrical contact disposed on the second elongate heat-deformable member, such that power from said incoming power wire flows through said first elongate heat-deformable member, across the pair of electrical contacts, and through the output power wire to a load but does not flow through said second elongate heat-deformable member.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein said first elongate heat-deformable member acts as a safety arm which breaks circuit connection upon an over-current condition while the second heat-deformable member remains stationary due to the resting member, and wherein said second elongate heat-deformable member acts as a control arm breaking circuit connection in response to an electronic control signal while the first elongate heat-deformable member remains stationary due to the resting member.

27. The method of claim 24, further comprising heating said heating element by providing electric current through resistive tape disposed upon the second elongate heat-deformable member.

28. The method of claim 24, further comprising heating said heating element by providing electric current to a heating coil disposed proximate to the second elongate heat-deformable member.

29. The method of claim 24, wherein said resting member is immobile.

30. The method of claim 24, further comprising the step of moving said resting member in order to override the operation of either of the first or second elongate heat-deformable members, by controllably allowing the first and second elongate heat-deformable members to approach one another and the electrical contacts to thereby reconnect.

31. The method of claim 24, wherein said resting member comprises a rotatable cam.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising the step of rotating said rotatable cam from a normal operating position to an override position, thereby causing the first and second elongate heat-deformable members to move towards one another and reconnect power to the load.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein rotation of said rotatable cam is responsive to a manual switch.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein said rotatable cam comprises a body having a length and a shorter width, such that in a first position the cam'"'"'s body lengthwise separates the first and second elongate heat-deformable members, and, when one of said elongate heat-deformable members is in a bent position, rotation of the cam to a second position allows the unbent heat-deformable member to move towards the bent elongate heat-deformable member and re-connect the electrical contacts.

35. The method of claim 24, wherein said first and second elongate heat-deformable members each comprises a bimetal arm.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein each bimetal arm of said first and second elongate heat-deformable members has a top side comprised of a first metallic substance and a bottom side comprised of a second metallic substance having different thermal properties than the first metallic substance.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein power is conveyed from an incoming power signal to a load when said pair of electrical contacts are in contact with one another, and wherein no power is conveyed to the load from said incoming power signal when said pair of electrical contacts are separated from one another.